Pdf Version  Printer friendly            Gog, Magog, Israel and Russia 

What role does Islam play in the world? Moreover, what is the outcome of Islam?  These questions continue to come to mind to those who see the conflict between Islam and the West rise.  One cannot help but see the conflicts all around the world, and see the role Islam plays. 

For example, in Europe we see the conflict in Kosovo, in Russia there are the Chechens who are at war with Russia.  In Iraq, we see the battle between Sunnis and Shiites, along with forces from the United States and Europe.  India has a border with Pakistan, both nuclear countries, there are constant rumblings of war, between these nations.  Israel in 2006 had a war with Hezbollah, a Shiite group in Lebanon, supported by Iran and Syria.  Iran  threatens to destroy the Jewish State, and wants to build a nuclear arsenal.

On top of all these openly national conflicts, we have the threat of Islamic terrorism, which affects Muslim countries as well Western countries.  Where is this conflict headed?  For those who study Bible prophecy, the conflict in the Middle East is no mystery, the final battle according to the Bible, Armageddon, is located in Israel. 

The miracle of the nation of Israel cannot be under estimated, if one tries to understand these conflicts around the world, and their conclusion. Ezekiel, 2600-years ago, along with the other prophets of the Bible, foretold of a national rebirth of Israel, gathered from the nations (Ezekiel 36-37).  Ezekiel followed this by describing a confederation of nations who would attack a reborn, nation assembled out of the nations in Ezekiel 38 and 39.   This event is known in the Bible as the battle of Gog and Magog. 

The battle of Gog and Magog is an event, which plays a prominent role in Islamic, Jewish and Christian eschatology. Although the scenarios have different results, all three faiths see Gog and Magog as a major event. Now just what are Gog and Magog is the subject of this paper.

 

What is the battle of Gog and Magog?

 

In short, the battle Gog and Magog is war in the latter days (Last days) when a confederacy of nations attack Israel, which has been restored in the last days.  These nations, which attack Israel in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39, include nations, which are Muslim and have a clear animosity to Israel.   Along with these Muslims nations, a northern kingdom, called Gog and Magog, which many identify, as the land Russia, will ally itself with Muslim nations, to oppose Israel in the last days. 

This confederacy of nations comes against Israel, God, who through Ezekiel foretells the event, defeats them.  This conflict establishes Israel and restores them to the land in preparation of their redemption.  The conflict also reminds the world, why Israel went into captivity for the last two-thousand years.(Ezekiel 39:28).

The timing of this event, and what follows is an issue of debate by those who study Bible prophecy.  The battle of Gog and Magog is a seminal event in scripture. It is the transition to the time, known as the Day of the Lord, the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, the Tribulation Period. Scripture reveals the details to those who take the Bible literally.

 

How did the world arrive at where they are?

 

To know where the world is going, it’s important to know how we got where we are. The situation in the world today, is the result of thousands of years of history, which will culminate in the land of Israel in the last days.  

 Israel from the beginning was part of God’s prophetic plan is clear from scripture, both Old and New Testaments detail how the descendents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel), are linked to the land of Canaan (Israel). Moses in Deuteronomy writes regarding the land and the descendents of Jacob who were given the land by God in the days of Moses and Joshua.  

"It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God drives them out from before you, and that He may fulfill the word which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Deuteronomy 9:5 

In the last days, Israel the restored nation, brought back into the land, comes into conflict with Islam. Islamic nations took possession of the land from the Byzantine Empire, after they were defeated in Palestine (Israel) in A.D. 637. Remember, Rome in A.D. 70. destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. They destroyed Jerusalem a 2^nd time under the Emperor Hadrian A.D. 135. For clarity sake, let’s see how these stages in Israel’s history are connected to today’s events.  

	Event
	Israel established in the land
1	·        Abraham was called to Mt. Moriah (The Temple Mount), from there the land of Israel was given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Gen. 12:1-7).  ·        After 400-years in Egypt, Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt into the land of promise.  ·        God established conditional blessings and cursing on the people of Israel. (Deut. 28-30).   If they obeyed, they would blessed above all the nations on earth, if they turned away they would be cast out of the land. ·        David purchased Mt. Moriah for a Temple at God’s instruction, Solomon built the Temple and the Lord sanctified the Temple on Mt. Moriah promising the Temple’s  destruction if Israel turned away from the Lord. ·        God promised Israel would eventually be established in the land in righteousness and obedience despite their being cast from the land.
2	Israel expelled from the land
	Babylonian Captivity Israel became two nations after Solomon, a southern kingdom (Judah) and a Northern kingdom (Israel) In 586 B.C. Judah, the southern kingdom was expelled from the land and the Temple destroyed, following Israel the Northern kingdom, which was expelled in 722 B.C.. Cyrus allowed the Jews to return and the Temple to be rebuilt in 539 B.C. Roman Captivity In A.D. 70, after the Messiah was killed in 33 A.D., the Temple was destroyed again and the people expelled from the land.  The earlier expulsion from the land lasted 70-years, the Roman expulsion ended with the nation of Israel, established in May 1948. The first  time Israel was an independent nation in over 2000-years. The last nation, the Maccabean kingdom lasted about 100-years from 165-63 B.C.
3	Nations occupy the land during Israel’s absence
	Babylonian Captivity When the Assyrians and Babylonians respectively took Israel and Judah captive, people from the surrounding lands came to occupy Israel.  When the Jews were allowed to return under Persian authority in 539 B.C., the people who occupied the lands tried to prevent the Jews from being established back in the land. Israel had to fight for its existence, as the nations surrounding them tried eliminate the Jews. Roman Captivity   Like the Babylonian captivity, when the Jews were expelled from the land of Israel by the Romans, during their absence, the surrounding nations began to occupy and take possession of the land given to the descendents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Among these nations, were those who could trace a descent from Abraham, and Isaac, but not from Jacob.  The people, who occupied the land, also became Muslim through the conquest of Islam. These same nations also came to believe they were entitled to the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, through the descent of Abraham.
4	Israel restored to the land
	After Babylon Following the defeat of Babylon by Cyrus the Great, the Jews were allowed to return to the land of Israel, and rebuild the Temple.  Israel did not become a nation for another four hundred years, (539- 163 B.C.).  The short-livedMaccabean kingdom came to end with the Romans after they sought help from Rome.  Rome entered Jerusalem, not to leave until after Jerusalem was destroyed.   After Rome Israel became a nation, only after the Muslim Ottoman Empire was defeated, they allied themselves with the Germans in World War I.  From the Muslim perspective, Israel took land, which belonged to Islam, and therefore Muslim nations are required to retrieve these lands by force of arms if necessary.  The Europeans and the United States divided the Ottoman empire into separate nations, eventually allowing a Jewish nation after World War II.
5	God judges the nations
	Babylonian Judgment God used Babylon to judge the nations, including Israel for their sins and transgressions, leading up to the eventual destruction of the nations. Through Israel God judged the nations,   Roman Judgment Israel was judged as a nation, after the Messiah was rejected by the nation. Both the Temple and the city were destroyed as foretold in the book of Daniel, 600-years before the event.  Israel before Messiah is accepted by the nation, would be restored to the land. In the end God will judge the nations which come against Israel to destroy the Jews, Israel surrounded by the nations, will cry out to Messiah, who will return with glory and power.  The messiah rejected by Israel, Jesus Christ, will rule and reign over a righteous Israel.
6	God establishes Israel under the Messiah
	Israel was established as a single nation, and was given an opportunity to accept the Messiah Jesus Christ at His first coming.  The nation rejected Jesus, killing Him, fulfilling scripture regarding the Messiah who would die for the sins of the world. (Isaiah 53, Daniel 9:26).       Israel reestablished in the last days, will be again have the opportunity to accept Jesus as Messiah, which will be accomplished at the end of Daniel’s 70th Week.  The Jewish people surrounded by the nations, will call out to Jesus the Messiah, who will return in glory and power.(Zechariah 12:1-3,9-10, Matthew 24;29-31, 25:31-32)      Following return of Messiah (2nd Coming of Jesus Christ), Israel will be established as nation, under the rule of King Messiah who will rule as king of the Earth, from Jerusalem. (Zechariah 14:9,17-21, Ezekiel 43:1-10, Matthew 25:30-40

 

Islam as a threat to Israel

 

One hundred years ago, there was no threat of Islam against Israel, because there was no Israel. Today that has all changed, since the first of Israel’s creation, the Muslim nations have raged against it, threatening to send the Jews into the sea from the first day of their creation. 

The origin of this rage against the Jews and Israel as noted earlier, dates back to the time Mohammad fled from Mecca to Medina.  In Medina, the Jews rejected his claim of prophet, and ridiculed him.  His rage against them transferred to the Quran, which was later transferred to all Muslims through the Quran.  Muslims today, compose over 20% of the Earth’s population, 1.3 billion people.

Muslim nations surround Israel, and oppose their existence, even after loosing five major conflicts.  Currently the great Islamic threat comes from Iran, which has openly called for the destruction of the Jewish state, while at the same time trying to develop nuclear capability.

Islam will remain a threat to Israel, until either Islam or Israel attains a decisive victory over the other.  Since Israel’s very existence remains in doubt from the world perspective, the conclusion to this Islam/Israel conflict needs to be understood from a prophetic viewpoint.

 

God’s prophetic program: The Temple of the Dome of the Rock

 

The third most holy place for a Islam, is located in the heart of Jerusalem, the Dome of the Rock, a building which, according to Islam commemorates Mohammad’s ascent into Heaven.  There according to Islam, Mohammad received the confirmation of Islam by the biblical prophets and the Lord Himself. 

The Dome of the Rock also happens to be the Most Holy location of Judaism, where according to the Bible, God instructed Israel to build a Temple. Only on this spot alone can Israel establish a place of sacrifice to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  This creates quite a problem in the world today. We have two groups of people, both with claims to the same location.  Yet according to Bible prophecy, a Third Temple will be constructed on this very location.

Therefore, if a Third Temple is to be constructed, then at some point the Dome of the Rock or Noble Sanctuary must be removed.  Since Islam in a unified voice, on numerous occasions has threatened world wide war, if the Dome of the Rock is harmed, its logical to conclude, Islam as a power and threat needs to be removed before the Temple is rebuilt.

The prophetic war in the Bible, the war of Gog and Magog, though not stated explicitly, implies the war is caused by a conflict over the Temple and the Dome of the Rock. 

 

Timing of the battle of Gog and Magog 

 

The timing of the war, which will includes Islam as a part of a confederacy nations, is subject to debate, there is ample reason to believe the event takes place prior to the event known as Daniel’s Seventieth Week. 

This period, according to Daniel is a seven-year period, which requires the building of the Third Temple, at the start of the period.  We know this because the Abomination of Desolation, takes place 3.5-years, or half way into the seven-year agreement. 

We also know from the prophecy itself, there will be seven-years, which follows the defeat of the armies of Gog and Magog, when Israel burns the weapons, and continually buries the dead.

 

9 "Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, the javelins and spears; and they will make fires with them for seven years.

15 "The search party will pass through the land; and when anyone sees a man's bone, he shall set up a marker by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon Gog.

Ezekiel 39:9,15

 

Now, what follows the defeat of Gog and Magog, in the book of Ezekiel chapters 40 to 43, is the building of the Temple, when the Glory of the Lord, enters the area now known as the Temple Mount.  From the context, of the events described here, it is clearly a future age, known as the Messianic age, or the Millennium, when the Kingdom of God is established on Earth. During this period, the Messiah, Jesus Christ reigns over the earth.

The Temple described in Ezekiel 40 to 43, would actually be the 4^th Temple, since the 3^rd Temple (Yet to be built) is the subject of the Abomination of Desolation (Matthew 24:15, Daniel 9:27, 12:11).  The 4^th Temple is established, after all earthly conflicts are finished, which includes Armageddon.  This 4^th Temple follows the return of Messiah (Jesus Christ), who comes in glory and power to rule over the nations and Israel (Matthew 24:29-31, 25:31-40) as King of the world. 

	The Four Temple Periods in the Bible
1	The First Temple Period (960 B.C. to 586 B.C)  Built by Solomon, in 586 B.C. the Temple was destroyed by Babylon for Judah’s Sin. (Ezekiel 8-9)
2	The Second Temple Period (516 B.C. to A.D. 70) The Temple was rebuilt by the Jews who returned after the Persians defeated Babylon, completed in 516 B.C., the Temple was destroyed by the armies of Rome in A.D. 70
3	The Third Temple (Tribulation Temple) (Future) The Temple will be built, after the Dome of the Rock is removed, following the war of Gog and Magog. Islam as threat to Israel’s existence will end. The future world leader to come (Daniel 9:27) the Antichrist, will make a seven-year agreement allowing Temple worship and sacrifice, this end with the Abomination of Desolation.
4	The Fourth Temple (The Millennium Temple) (Future) This is the Temple during the reign of King Messiah (Jesus Christ), the Glory of the Lord. (Ezekiel 40-43).  This Temple follows the events of the Tribulation which end at Armagedd

  

  

The Jewish view of Gog and Magog

 

Rabbinical writers also see the events of Gog and Magog as taking place at the “End of day”, when the nations of the world come against Israel to destroy the Jewish people.  Gog and Magog is a major part of Jewish eschatology (Last things), in the days of Messiah. 

Though the events differ among rabbinical commentators, most write that in the battle of Magog, Messiah son of Joseph[1] is killed by Armilus (the Antichrist) after he rebuilds the Temple.  Israel then goes through a period of persecution, which ends with the coming of Messiah son of David, who destroys Armilus and begins the reign of Messiah. Quoting from the Midrash we read.

 

And when the days of the Messiah arrive, Gog and Magog will come up against the Land of Israel, because they will hear Israel is without a king and sits in safety.  Instantly they will take with them seventy-one nations and go up to Jerusalem...And the Holy One, blessed be He, will say to him: “You wicked one! You want to wage war against Me? By your life I will wage war against you!” Instantly the Holy One, blessed be He, will cause hailstones, which are hidden in the firmament, to descend upon him, and will bring upon him a great plague....

And after him will arise another king, wicked and insolent, and he will wage war against Israel for three months, and his name is Armilus....And he will go up to Jerusalem and will slay Messiah ben Joseph...

And thereafter will come Messiah ben David...and he will kill the wicked Armilus...and thereafter the Holy One, blessed be He,  will gather all Israel who are dispersed here and there....[2]

 

 

The Muslim view of Gog and Magog

 

The Muslim view of Gog and Magog differs from both the Christian and Jewish view, in the end the Muslims and not the Jews are victors against Gog and Magog.  The origin in the Quran can be traced to the legends of Alexander the Great, which developed around him.  In the Quran, Alexander the Great is referred to as O Dhul-Qarneyn, Alexander builds an Iron wall of metal separating Gog and Magog to the North.  At the end of time, according to the Quran, Gog and Magog will be released, they will be an enemy of Islam.  The problem is of course, Gog and Magog are attacking Israel in the Biblical account,  written over almost 1000-years before Mohammad was even born. The Jewish community of Medina, where he would have learned about Gog and Magog, influenced Mohammad, except in his version, Islam defeats Gog and Magog,

 

 

93. Till, when he came between the two mountains, he found upon their hither side a folk that scarce could understand a saying.

94. They said: O Dhul-Qarneyn! Lo! Gog and Magog are spoiling the land. So may we pay thee tribute on condition that thou set a barrier between us and them?

95. He said: That wherein my Lord hath established me better (than your tribute). Do but help me with strength (of men), I will set between you and them a bank.

96. Give me pieces of iron till, when he had levelled up (the gap) between the cliffs, he said: Blow! till, when he had made it a fire, he said: Bring me molten copper to pour thereon.

Surah 18:93-96

 

95. And there is a ban upon any community which We have destroyed: that they shall not return,

96. Until, when Gog and Magog are let loose, and they hasten out of every mound.

97. And the True Promise draweth nigh; then behold them, starring wide (in terror), the eyes of those who disbelieve! (They say): Alas for us! We (lived) in forgetfulness of this. Ah, but we were wrong doers!

98. Lo! ye (idolaters) and that which ye worship beside Allah are fuel of hell. Thereunto ye will come.

Surah 21:95-98

 

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 565: Narrated Zainab bint Jahsh: That the Prophet once came to her in a state of fear and said, "None has the right to be worshipped but Allah. Woe unto the Arabs from a danger that has come near. An opening has been made in the wall of Gog and Magog like this," making a circle with his thumb and index finger. Zainab bint Jahsh said, "O Allah's Apostle! Shall we be destroyed even though there are pious persons among us?" He said, "Yes, when the evil person will increase." Sahih Bukhari  (Hadith)

 

Along with the rabbinical influences in Medina, the origin of Alexander the Great linked with Gog and Magog can be traced to Egypt in the 2^nd century A.D., The Encyclopedia Britannica writes,

 

The chief source of all Alexander romance literature was a folk epic written in Greek by a Hellenized Egyptian in Alexandria during the 2nd century AD. Surviving translations and copies make its reconstruction possible. It portrayed Alexander as a national messianic hero, the natural son of an Egyptian wizard-king by the wife of Philip II of Macedon.... Eastern accounts of Alexander's fabled career paid a good deal of attention to the Gog and Magog episode, a version of this story being included in the Qurʾān. The Arabs, expanding Syrian versions of the legend, passed them on to the many peoples with whom they came in contact. Through them, the Persian poets, notably Neẓāmī in the 12th century, gave the stories new form.[3]

 

The Biblical view of Gog and Magog

 

The Biblical view differs from both the Muslim and Rabbinical Jewish view, since the rabbinical view embellishes on the biblical material and the Muslim view has results, which makes Islam the victor at the end.

In the biblical view, alliances of nations, including Russia (Magog)[4] from the North and Iran (Persia) along with other nations make an alliance against Israel. These other nations include Libya and Ethiopia both Muslim nations today.  Togarmah is identified as Armenia; they supplied horses and mules as tribute to Babylon (Ezekiel 27:14).

 

Ezekiel 38

1 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,

3 "and say, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.

4 "I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.

5 "Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet;

6 "Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops-many people are with you. Ezekiel 38:1-6

 

Nation		Comments
Land of Magog	Prince of Rosh or Chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal	Magog is a land identified as Scythia, or Russia, by Josephus.  The message is to Gog, identified as prince, of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. Rosh in Hebrew also means Chief which has caused some to translate this verse as Chief Prince rather then Chief of Rosh (Russia).          Meshech and Tubal are the sons of Japheth (Genesis 10:2).  Some Georgians trace their descent from Meshech..  The name for Moscow, comes from the river Moskva which passes through the city.       The name Russia comes  from a Scandinavian tribe which settled the area, known as Rus.       Tubal some trace this name to the area in Siberia known as Tobolsk,
Persia		Persia is the ancient name of Iran.  Iran is a recent name for this region. Currently, Iran has both military and economic ties with Russia.  Persia has also threatened to wipe out the nation of Israel, who has been gathered from the nations.
Ethiopia (Cush)		This is area south of the Nile includes the area known as Sudan and Ethiopia today.  Sudan is controlled by an Islamic government, opposed to Israel.
Libya
Gomer	Troops
Togarmah	From far north and all its troops
Many peoples

 

 

Gog invades in the later day

 

The armies are enemies of a restored Israel, in the latter years, gathered from the nations of the world and placed back in the land of Israel. (See Ezekiel 36-37)  Israel is described as a land of un-walled villages; the invasion comes from the “far north” and is part of an evil plan against Israel.

 

7 "Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them.

8 "After many days you will be visited. In thelatter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely.

9 "You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you."

10 'Thus says the Lord God: "On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan:

11 "You will say, 'I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates'

12 to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land.

13 "Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, 'Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?' " '

14 "Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, 'Thus says the Lord God: "On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it?

15 "Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army.

16 "You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes."  Ezekiel 38:7-16

 

The prophets foretold of Gog and Magog

 

In the end, the Lord will be magnified in the earth, as the prophets of the Bible (Ezekiel)

are given credit for revealing the
event (vs. 17).  God Himself will destroy the armies, through an earthquake, flooding rain, hailstones, fire and brimstone.
The
 armies will also turn on one another and God will be glorified

in that day. 

 

17 'Thus says the Lord God: "Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them?

18 "And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel," says the Lord God, "that My fury will show in My face.

19 "For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: 'Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel,

20 'so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.'

21 "I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains," says the Lord God. "Every man's sword will be against his brother.

22 "And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.

23 "Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord." '  Ezekiel 38:1-23

 

God loves the people of the world, many of whom are deceived with a burning rage against the descendents of Israel and the Bible.  In the war of Gog, God’s word spoken through the Biblical prophets takes central stage, as the armies of Islam are destroyed. Moreover, Israel is freed from the Islamic threat, which has existed for the last 60-years. 

 

Israel uses the remains burns the weapons of Gog for seven-years

 

Following the defeat of Islam and Russia, Israel uses the weapons left in the land for the next seven-years.  The seven-year period clearly indicates this event occurs before the tribulation, since the tribulation itself is seven years. 

 

7 "So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel.

8 "Surely it is coming, and it shall be done," says the Lord God. "This is the day of which I have spoken.

9 "Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, the javelins and spears; and they will make fires with them for seven years.  Ezekiel 39:7-9

 

What happens to Islam and the Muslim people following Gog and Magog

 

What happens to the Muslim nations, we can gather from other scriptures in the Bible.  We know the Antichrist, the last world leader before the return of Christ, makes a peace treaty.  This agreement or Covenant is for seven-years, but only last

3.5 before it is broken.

At the start of this covenant, Israel is deceived by the Antichrist, who later turns on the Jewish people, proclaiming himself god, demanding the world worship him.  Prior to this however, the antichrist tries to unify the world, under a single religion.

With Islam defeated as a force, he will begin to persecute all those who refuse to submit to his plans.

The nations on the earth will have a clear choice, having witnessed the destruction of the Islamic alliance; the world will be forced to choose between the God of Israel or a false world leader, who will force the earth to worship him.

 

21 "I will set My glory among the nations;all the nations shall see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them.

22 "So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day forward.

23 "The Gentiles shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity; because they were unfaithful to Me, therefore I hid My face from them. I gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword.

24 "According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I have dealt with them, and hidden My face from them." '

25 "Therefore thus says the Lord God: 'Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name

26 after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid.

27 'When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations,

28 'then they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer.

29 'And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,' says the Lord God."  Ezekiel 39:21-29

 

The Antichrist, along with the world’s religious leader, the false prophet, force the whole world, to submit to the Antichrist who proclaims himself god.  Muslim’s freed from Islam will have an opportunity to choose the Messiah, Jesus Christ as their savior.

They who know Jesus, during the tribulation will be killed for their, they however will find their way into Heaven, and attain eternal life (Revelation 6:9-11).